NJ protesters: End war, create more jobs

by Don Tagala, ABS-CBN North America Bureau

NEWARK, New Jersey – Members of the People’s Organization for Progress (POP) were in the streets of Newark, New Jersey – demanding for jobs, peace, equality and justice.

POP Chairman Lawrence Hamm said, “Make the rich pay their fair share of taxes, if we got to pay taxes, they got to pay taxes, if we got to pay 30%, they should pay that and more, we need millionaire’s taxes.”

Hamm urged motorists to honk their horns to show their support for a national jobs program.

The proposed federal legislation would create a national public service jobs program to augment job creation efforts in the private and nonprofit sectors.

Most notably, the bill aims to provide a job to any American that seeks work, and to ultimately, create a full employment society.

Madelyn Hoffman of New Jersey Peace action said they are also demanding the Obama administration to end all wars and bring the troops home.

The billions of dollars that are spent on wars could be used to fund the national jobs program instead.

“Move The Money From War To Peace” movement said $804 billion were spent on the war in Iraq, while the war in Afghanistan cost tax payers $536 billion.

Hoffman said, “Take 25% of that and you’ve got billions of dollars that would erase every single state budget deficit and provide more money for jobs, peace, equality and justice.”

Meantime, in Jersey City, Filipino-American, Kenny Quiza, said he lost his job as a cashier at a discount warehouse store in October last year.

Quiza said he has not been able to catch up on rent and bills. He added that though he has been applying for a full time job almost every day, they are just hard to come by.